1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to card games and more particularly to high/low poker variant card games.
2. Antecedents of the Invention
Card games, and particularly poker, are commonly played throughout the world. Poker provides an exciting pastime for social groups, and ranks relatively high in the diverse variety of leisure time entertainment activities.
Poker itself is not a single game within the confines of a strict set of rules but, the term "poker" has been applied to a variety of games, i.e. variants, played with differences in rules. The principle rules of play of poker, however, have been the same for all variants and can be classified in four groups: draw, stud, low ball and mixtures, such as high/low.
Generally, the winner of a round in a poker game is the player who has the best poker hand among those players who have remained in the game. The hand in almost all variants of poker comprises five cards which are ranked as follows, from the highest order to the lowest order:
1. Royal Flush (all cards of the same suit in sequence, from Ace through 10); PA0 2. Straight Flush (all cards of the same suit in sequence); PA0 3. Four of a Kind (four cards of the same rank); PA0 4. Full House (three cards of one rank, two cards of another rank); PA0 5. Flush (all cards of the same suit, not in sequence); PA0 6. Straight (all cards in sequence, not of the same suit); PA0 7. Three of a Kind (three cards of one rank); PA0 8. Two pairs (two cards of one rank, two cards of another rank); PA0 9. One Pair (two cards of one rank); and PA0 10. High Card (no combination).
There remained a need for a poker variant game suitable for card table play which would be played with a reduced number of cards in a hand, which would afford multiple wagering opportunities and reduced play duration for each round, which would also provide enhanced entertainment features by affording players an opportunity to simultaneously play for a high winning hand or a low winning hand and which would include an opportunity for players to employ strategies.